Penang, Malaysia – Travel Guide

A few miles off the west coast, you’ll find Penang: a paradise of ex-colonial architecture and legendary cuisine. Penang is a mecca for foodies; the mixture of Indian, Chinese and Malay cuisine is a delight for the palate.

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It’s also the home of the indigenous fusion of Baba Nonya food, Eurasian dishes from the times of Portuguese imperial control. Penang’s unique history and mingling of cultures make it a constantly surprising and intriguing destination.

Georgetown is the largest city on the island, one of the biggest in Malaysia (with 600,000 inhabitants!) and is also where you arrive straight off the ferry from the mainland port of Butterworth.

It’s polluted and teeming with car exhaust fumes, but luckily makes up for this by being full of cultural surprises…

In short, Penang offers something for even the biggest cityphobe – just outside of the city edges you’ll find sprawling beach resorts at Batu Ferringhi and quiet fishing villages such as Teluk Bahang. There’s also the beautiful Penang National Park situated in the northwest of the island with beaches, jungle and wildlife.

The deserted beaches of Penang National Park.

Where to stay in Penang?

Love Lane: A quiet lane hidden in inner Georgetown makes a great little backpacker area – and the most popular place to stay in Penang. While things can get slightly seedy by night, Love Lane offers some great budget rooms, right in the middle of the World Heritage Site borders.

Chinatown: Sprawling Chinatown is locally known as ‘Backpacker Alley’ and, as the name suggests, there are loads of cheap and cheerful places to stay. If you’re on a tight budget, it is possible can get yourself a bed in a dorm room for as little as 18 MYR ($4.5 USD).

However, a recent traveller told us that at this cost you’re looking at a rather shabby and often dirty room that would deter even the long-term traveller! If you pay upward of around 23 MYR ($6 USD), you’ll likely find yourself a much more pleasant sleeping arrangement. Private rooms start at a pretty reasonable 50 MYR / night ($13 USD).

WeLuv Travel Guesthouse is a very good option. It doesn’t have any dorm beds, but it does have singles starting around $10 USD and doubles from $15 USD. The staff are great. Rooms are very clean and beds are comfortable.

100 Cintra Street has doubles available for $15 USD in a very cool old colonial building. It is also free to use their washing machine!

Lebuh Chulia: A bustling road, and one of the oldest in Georgetown, Lebuh Chulia has a few more upmarket options with some rooms starting from 50 MYR a night ($13 USD).

The Frame Guesthouse is super-stylish with dorm beds at $10 USD and privates starting at $20 USD. It’s very clean, in an excellent location and the set up is geared towards socialising, meaning it’s a great place to make new friends.

Check out some of the hostels making our ‘Best Hostel List’ in Penang:

The Famous Food Scene of Penang…

Tuck into the local cuisine: Undeniably the food capital of Malaysia, Penang is a treat for all the senses. Hawker centres line the streets, with an abundance of tasty, cheap local dishes on offer. With a unique mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures, there really is something for everyone within the local ‘Baba Nonya’ fusion cuisine…

You’ll find everything from fresh seafood, noodle dishes and BBQ stalls to frog leg porridge (trust us, it’s not as bad as it sounds!). Wash down your dinner with a bottle of ice-cold Tiger and it’s easy to understand why this island is so famous for its grub!

Top Penang Dishes to try:

NASI LEMAK: Rice cooked in coconut milk with pandan leaf.

SATAY CELUP: Chicken, mutton or beef skewered on bamboo sticks and cooked over hot charcoals. Best eaten fresh on the street, dipped in a rich peanut sauce. Yum!

CHAR KOAY TEOW: A simple but tasty plate of stir-fried flat noodles with seafood, egg, bean sprouts, a healthy amount of chilli and a splash of soy sauce!

CHING PU LEANG THANG SHUI: A local delicacy, and a healthy dessert! Made with sweet potatoes, red beans, jelly, white fungus, sago, atapchi, longan, ginkgo, winter melon, rambutan and many more fruits, all served in a sugary syrup.

And for the more adventurous:

CLAYPOT FROG LEG PORRIDGE: Tender frog legs delicately stewed in a clay pot of fragrant broth. Tastes similar to chicken, but even juicier.

FRESH OYSTERS: Caught just off the coast of this foodie island, oysters are an expensive, but delicious treat here. Knock them back with a squeeze of lime and a drop of Tabasco sauce. No chewing allowed!

CHICKEN FEET: Grizzly, bony, chewy… well what else would you expect from a chicken foot? Give us the breast or a nice juicy leg any day!

Things to do in Penang

Take a bus / or motorbike around the island: The bus means easy access to some stunning viewpoints, as the mountainous round-island road from Georgetown runs for 74km and offers panoramic views of the ocean and island.

Visit Titi Kerawang and its famous waterfalls: The waterfalls are a great sight and the view of the Indian Ocean from Titi Kerawang is second to none. There’s also a freshwater pool filled from the waterfall, a refreshing swimming spot.

Go to the beach: The beach calls out to Penang’s visitors, notably Batu Ferringhi in the north, which is great for activities and is becoming one of the most popular beaches in Malaysia. It’s a must for a slice of luxury, with everything from air-conditioned steakhouses to traditional Hawker centres.

Trek through Penang National Park: Surprisingly beautiful, untouched national park with trekking trails to waterfalls, natural pools and deserted beaches. At the very end of the national park, there’s a turtle sanctuary worth a visit (just follow the signs to Turtle Beach). Entrance to the National Park is free, you only need to sign in at the entrance.

Get some peace and quiet: If the hustle and bustle of Georgetown or Ferringhi beach gets too much, head 6km down to Teluk Bahang – a far quieter beach area. On the way there you’ll pass the Tropical Spice Garden, a quiet haven on a hill with a lovely tea shop.

Gravityz: If you’re looking for a completely different experience (and you’re not afraid of heights!), Gravityz offers 6 different obstacle challenges that take place on the 61st floor of a building in Georgetown at a height of 238 metres! Amazing views of the island guaranteed. Just don’t look down!

Would you be up for the high altitude challenge of Gravityz?

Getting to Penang

From nearly anywhere around Malaysia or even Thailand you can now take a minibus to Penang which will stop in Chinatown (mostly somewhere in Lebuh Chulia close to Love Lane) or you can take the bus to the main bus terminal under the Komtar mall.

Alternatively, you can fly into Penang International Airport from most major capitals in the region.

Where to go next?

Langkawi: Hop on a boat from the port at Georgetown to take you straight up north to the island paradise and tax-free haven that is Langkawi. Not only are the beaches a stunner, but you can visit the 99 other beautiful islands in this cluster. Read more about Langkawi here.

Sabah: Fly across to Borneo and head to Sabah, where you can take on the challenge of climbing the awesome Mt. Kinabalu – the highest mountain in South East Asia at a staggering 13,445 ft. Read more about Malaysian Borneo here.

Thailand’s Southern Islands: You’re far north enough to make the trip to southern Thailand, head up to Alor Setar and hop on the train over the Malaysia/Thai border, to experience the famous islands of the Andaman Coast. Read more about Thailand’s southern islands here.

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Laura Davies started her career at South East Asia Backpacker Magazine on an internship in the summer of 2011. After proving she could knock back shots, ride a scooter and look good in a poncho, she soon became an indispensable part of the team. She’s now living in London, working as a freelance designer. Interested in becoming a writer for us?